About St. Aloysius-St. Agatha · Cleveland, Ohio
St. Aloysius–St. Agatha is a Roman Catholic parish in the Diocese of Cleveland located at 10932 St. Clair Avenue in Cleveland's Glenville neighborhood. The parish was formed in 1974 by the merger of two historic Glenville congregations — St. Aloysius (est. 1898) and St. Agatha (est. 1945) — and today serves as the last remaining Catholic parish in Glenville. It worships in the magnificent 1925 Italian Renaissance church of St. Aloysius, sponsors a Pre-K through 8 school at 640 Lakeview Road, and operates one of Greater Cleveland's largest parish-based food pantries, the St. Aloysius Hunger Center.
- Established
- 1898
- Patron
- St. Aloysius Gonzaga; St. Agatha
- Rector
- Rev. Dan Schlegel (Presbyterial Moderator, from St. Raphael Church, Bay Village)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Cleveland (parish code 1104)
Why belong here
St. Aloysius–St. Agatha is a deeply rooted, welcoming parish that has served Cleveland's Glenville neighborhood for more than 125 years. It offers Sunday and weekday Mass in one of the most architecturally stunning churches in the region, a Pre-K through 8 school at 640 Lakeview Road, and one of Greater Cleveland's largest parish-based emergency food pantries, the St. Aloysius Hunger Center. Active ministries — including the Marianist Lay Community, St. Vincent de Paul Society, Choir, Men's Club, Evangelization Committee, and Pastoral and Finance Councils — give parishioners many ways to live out their faith in service to a diverse community that the parish itself describes as 'embracing its African American culture, empowering its members and sharing its love of Christ through service to the community.'
Mass times at St. Aloysius-St. Agatha
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Sundays before Mass (approximately 9:30–10:00 AM)
- By appointment
History of St. Aloysius–St. Agatha
The parish is the 1974 merger of two Glenville congregations — St. Aloysius (est. 1898) and St. Agatha (est. 1945) — and worships in the 1925 Italian Renaissance church of St. Aloysius at 10932 St. Clair Avenue.
- 1898: Small frame church rented at St. Clair and Doan; catechism class formed
- 1900: First Mass celebrated under first pastor Rev. Joseph F. Smith
- 1902: Brick church/school/parish hall erected
- 1903: Rev. Francis A. Malloy (later Monsignor) succeeds Smith; acquires St. Clair frontage
- 1922: Cornerstone of present church laid
- March 19, 1925: Present Italian Renaissance church consecrated
- 1945: Bishop Edward F. Hoban establishes St. Agatha; Father Stephen Towell first pastor
- 1946: St. Agatha School opens, staffed by Dominican Sisters
- 1973: St. Aloysius and St. Agatha schools consolidate
- 1974: Parishes officially merge as St. Aloysius–St. Agatha
- 2021: Banners of Black American sainthood candidates hung in the church
- June 21, 2025: 125th anniversary of the parish and 100th anniversary of the church's consecration
The Church Building & Architecture
The present church, dedicated and consecrated on March 19, 1925, is built in the Italian Renaissance style with a Romanesque interior featuring two levels of luminous stained glass, vaulted ceilings with intricate frescoes, decorative tile work, marble, brass light fixtures, decorative ironwork, and a marble baldachin over the altar. A mammoth pipe organ at the rear is reached via iron-graced stairs.
- Stained-glass window of Mary returning home after the crucifixion — reportedly the only such window in the United States
- Two levels of stained glass and vaulted-ceiling frescoes
- Marble baldachin (canopy) above the altar
- Mammoth pipe organ at the rear of the church
Staff & Leadership
Because no priest resides at the parish, Rev. Dan Schlegel of St. Raphael Church in Bay Village serves as presbyterial moderator and celebrates the weekly Sunday Mass. Day-to-day parish life is led by Parish Life Coordinator Sr. Mary Jean Raymond, OSU, an Ursuline Sister of Cleveland who has been on the St. Aloysius staff since 1981 and was named Parish Life Coordinator in April 2022.
- Rev. Dan Schlegel — Presbyterial Moderator
- Sr. Mary Jean Raymond, OSU — Parish Life Coordinator (Ursuline Sister of Cleveland, joined staff 1981 as first-grade teacher)
- Jack Young — Business Manager (graduate of Case Institute of Technology and Case Western Reserve University)
- Carol Bunn — Hunger Center Director (U.S. Marine Corps veteran)
Parish Ministries
The parish invites parishioners to take part in a wide range of ministries and organizations.
- Pastoral Council (meets second Thursday of each month; open to parishioners)
- Finance Council
- Evangelization Committee
- Marianist Lay Community (1st & 3rd Saturdays, 12:15 PM in the rectory)
- Liturgy – Spiritual Life Committee
- St. Vincent de Paul Society
- Choir
- Men's Club
Marianist Lay Community
The Cleveland Marianist Lay Community is a lay community in the Marianist Tradition centered at St. Aloysius Parish. Its mission statement: 'We are an inclusive Marianist community who bring Christ and Mary to our world. We strive to be a bridge, connecting the Church and surrounding communities, by continually growing in faith, committing to social justice through awareness and action, while working with and serving others.' The community meets the first and third Saturdays of the month at 12:15 PM in the rectory.
St. Vincent de Paul Society
An organization of Catholic volunteers who dedicate their time and resources to help those in the community who have fallen on hardship or personal crisis — providing food, clothing, furniture, and financial assistance when funds are available.
St. Aloysius Hunger Center
The Hunger Center is one of Greater Cleveland's largest parish-based food pantries, serving approximately 500 families per month with a 3-day supply of groceries (dry goods, fresh produce, perishables, and meats). The parish has been distributing food in Glenville for over 100 years. Director: Carol Bunn.
- Emergency Groceries — by appointment, Monday–Friday 8:00–11:00 AM (call the Parish House)
- Community Hot Meal — every Tuesday 5:00–6:00 PM (open to the community)
- Monthly Grocery & Produce Distribution — 4th Saturday of each month 9:00–11:00 AM
- Home Delivery — monthly for approximately 700 homebound and disabled households
- Health & Nutrition — free 8-week nutrition education series for parents/grandparents
- Holiday Food Basket Distribution
St. Aloysius Catholic School
Located at 640 Lakeview Road (just east of the church), St. Aloysius Catholic School is a Pre-K through Grade 8 elementary school sponsored by the parish. Main office hours are 7:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Monday–Friday.
- Grades served: Pre-K through 8
- Tuition assistance available via Cleveland Scholarship, Ed Choice, Ed Choice Expansion, and Jon Peterson Scholarships
- Welcomes students of all races, ethnic backgrounds, and religious traditions
- Re-registration January–May (current/new students) and July (new students)
Visiting, Contact & Practical Information
Parish office hours are 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on weekdays. Phone (216) 451-3262; fax (216) 268-3830. The parish email listed in public directories is [email protected].
- Address: 10932 St. Clair Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44108-1939
- Phone: (216) 451-3262
- Fax: (216) 268-3830
- Office Hours: 8:00 AM – 1:00 PM weekdays
- School site: 640 Lakeview Road, Cleveland, OH 44108 (Main Office 7:30 AM – 3:00 PM, Mon–Fri)
Identity & Community
In 2018, the parish described itself: 'We are a welcoming Catholic Parish, embracing its African American culture, empowering its members and sharing its love of Christ through service to the community.' As the last Catholic parish in Glenville, St. Aloysius–St. Agatha continues a 125-year tradition of worship, education, and outreach in one of Cleveland's historic east-side neighborhoods.
- Last remaining Catholic parish in Cleveland's Glenville neighborhood
- Long-standing African American Catholic community in the Diocese of Cleveland
- Banners installed in 2021 honor Black American candidates for sainthood (Sr. Thea Bowman, Fr. Augustus Tolton, Julia Greeley, Bl. Pierre Toussaint)
- Visited by Bishop Edward Malesic during Black History Month, February 2022
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Joseph F. Smith1898–1903
First pastor of St. Aloysius; celebrated the parish's first Mass in 1900.
- Rev. Francis A. Malloy (later Monsignor)1903–1937
Acquired the St. Clair Avenue frontage; oversaw construction of the present Italian Renaissance church dedicated in 1925.
- Rev. James T. Daley1937–1956
Succeeded Monsignor Malloy.
- Rev. Thomas J. Murphy1956–?
Listed in 1942 WPA parish history.
- Rev. Stephen Towell1945–1961
First pastor of St. Agatha; led school-based evangelization campaign.
- Rev. Joseph Scharnitzky1961–1968
St. Agatha pastor during the 1968 Glenville unrest.
- Rev. Edward Bedell1968–1971
St. Agatha pastor.
- Rev. Thomas Gallagher1971–
Appointed administrator of St. Agatha by Bishop Issenmann on August 17, 1971.